Centrifugal separator



March 11, 1941. N. BREWER CBNTRIFUGAL S BPARATOR Filed Sept. 6, 1939 2 Sheets-Shoot '1 PICIi INPEVTOR. I V Nafl'mniel Brewer .4 TTORNEY.

Mann, 1941.

N. BREWER cznmxruu sauna-0n 2 Shootu-Shut'}2- Filed Sept. 6. 1939 r. w "ml Nw I a C 0 1 NM Y B ATTORNEY Patented-Mar. 11, 1941 commoner.

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ssrm'roa Nathaniel Brewer, Cleveland, om, alsignor a The Sharpie: Corporafl corporation of Delaware Application September 6,

on, Philadelphia, Pa., a

1939, Serial No. 293,551

3 Claims. (oi 210-70) The present invention pertains to the art of centrifugal separators designed to effect dehydration of solids, and periodic removal of dehydrated solids from the centrifugal rotor by the action of a dislodging tool or knife which is intermittently moved into position to perform its dislodging function after accumulation of the layer of dehydrated solids in the centrifugal rotor.

The invention was conceived as an improvement in the means designed to actuate the dislodging tool of the centrifugal separator described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 170,246, filed October 21, 1937. In the machine of that application, the dehydration of solids was accomplished in an automatic centrifugal machine which operates through definite cycles comprising passage of slurry to the centrifugal rotor, centrifugally separating liquid from solids, rinsing and drying the separated solids, and unloading the separated solids, the unloading operation being started while the dryin operation is still in progress with respect to' part of the solids in the centrifugal rotor. The present'invention is concerned solely with the means for actuating the dislodging tool, and may be used in connection with the machine of my prior-application, identified above, or with other machinesin which the dislodging tool is periodically moved into the body of solids which has accumulated in the rotor during the dehydrating operation.

The object of the invention has-been to provide a simple and positive means for actuating the dislodging tool, entailing a minimum of vibration, and ensuring positive and steady dislodging operation. v

Other objects of the invention will be evident from a reading of the following specification in the light of-the attached drawings, in which,

re l is a front elevation .of the machine. of the invention,

Figure 2 is a central axial cross section of the machine of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detailed cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and I Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the resolution of forces occurring in the action of the dislodging tool of the invention.

Referring to the drawings by reference char acters, the illustrated machine comprises a frame II, which is provided with spaced bearings, of which only one, the bearing H is illustrated. A shaft I2 is mounted for rotation in these bearings and is driven by any suitable source of power (not shown) in the direction indicated by the arrow'Ain ll'igure 1. 1 v

The machine is provided with a centrifugal rotor l3 (Fig. 2), which comprises a wall II,

'whichmay be cylindrical as shown, a ring l5 5 extending inwardly from one end of 'saidwall and provided with an opening ii and an end wall H which is fixedly mounted upon the shaft l2, as by being keyed thereto.

A housing It, which encloses the rotor, is mounted upon the frame it, and comprises an end wall [9, a circumferential wall 20 and an end plate or closure member 2i which, preferably, is detachably secured to the circumferential wall 20. This housing is provided with an rated from solids in the'rotor during the operation of the machine. I

The wall I of the rotor'is providedparound its inner circumference, with filter means in the form of a screen 23, whichlies snugly within said wall. The screenmay be a single ply, woven screen fitted'under pressure within the wall i4, and may comprise. closely spaced continuous circumferential strands and widely spaced, axially extending strands, as described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 170,246, referred to above."

A discharge chute 24 extends from the exterior of the rotor through the opening it, and the upper end'of said discharge chute is positioned to receive solids dislodged from. the screen 23 by a dislodging tool '25, which is intermittently moved into position adjacent the screen to effect removal of solids from that screen. The dislodging tool 25 is provided witha cutting edge or knife 26 (Fig.3) adjacent itsleading edge, and is also provided with a, deflecting surface 21 adapted to direct solids dislodged by the cutting edge 26 into the upper-end of the discharge chute 24. 4

The dislodging tool is connected by arms 28 and 29 to a shaft 30 which extends axially'ofthe rotor. This shaft 20 is preferably rectangular in cross section, and may be mounted for longitudinal adjustment in aboss ii. The boss 3| is in turn secured to an arm 32,.which is pivotally secured to a fixed part of the machine, and thus serves to pivot about the point 21 as a fulcrum. A link 33 is also pivotally secured to the boss 3i and to a piston rod 34 which is'connected to a piston II which is operated within a cylinder 3l. The prime mover "-36 may be actuated by any suitable form of fluid pressure, e.-g.,

by oil orsteam.

15' outlet 22 for discharging liquid which is sepalower side of the piston 35' drated in accordance with the dislodging tool 25 into the bed of solids which j as has accumulated within the screen 23. .The

movement of the, piston upwardly Pul s theboss 81 and shaft upwardly,

v v and. causes the arm. 32 to move pivotally aboutthe fulcrum 31, This pivotal movement of the shaft so, attached arms 28 and 29, and em... tool 25, brings the dislodging toolinto cutting contact with the bed of dehydrated solids (e.' g., crystals), and gradually effects discharge of these solids into the chute 24 andfrom the machine. It will-be understood that the cutting action of the dislodglng tool 251s progressive, this dislodging tool moving gradually more deeply into the bed of solids as the dislodging action progresses.

An important feature of the invention consists in the relation between the fulcrum point .31, the angle taken by the cutting edge or knife it relatively. to the solids being dislodged, and the weight of the sum of the parts consisting of the piston e5, piston rod 34, link 33, bossti, shaft to, arms 28 and 29, and dislodgingtool 25. An important'advantage is obtained in the practice of the invention by correlating these factors in such a way that, of the force V acting upon thedislodging tool thereagainst and the vertical downward force-W acting on that tool because of the weights .of

vthe aforementioned parts associated therewith,

the resultant R is in direction below the fulcrum point 31. sists in the fact that, if the resultant of these forces were to act to pull arm 32 upwardly instead of downwardly, the forces in question would act to augment the force imposed on the-underside of the piston 35 by fluid pressure, and to exercise. wdden, variable, and uncontrollable efiects on the dislodglng tool in impelling it more deeply into the bed of solids. By correlating the-above-mentioned factors in such a manner that the-resultant of the forces described above acts against the normal lifting force of the fluid pressure on the under side of the piston 35, this undesired eflect of causing the kniieid i=0 gouge too deeply and irregularly into thebed of solids is avoided, and vibration is also minimlzed. The resolution of forces referred to above of the drawings.

Modifications wlllbe obvious to those skilled in the art, and I do not wish to belimited except 59 by the scopeo'f the subioined claims.-

slurry has been fedto' pri in I comprising, a centrifugal because of impingement of solids 4 The desirability of this feature confclaim: v 1. In acentrifugal separator, the combination a centrifugal rotonmeans for rotating said rotor to eflec't dehydration of solids fed thereto and accumulation of a bed of dehydrated solids within said rotor, a dislodging tool mounted within said rotor for movement into and away from solids dislodging position alternately, and means for moving said dislodging tool to and from'solids dislods in position, said last-named. means comprising, a shaft secured to said dislodging tool. said shaft extending to the'exterior of said rotor, a pivoted arm secured to said shaft, and mounted for movement with said shaft to control the movement of said shaft about'the fulcrum of said pivoted arm, and fluid pressure means secured to said shaft and adapted to effect movement of said shaft alternately toward the circumferential wall of the rotor and away from the circumferential wall of the rotor.

2. In a centrifugal separator, the combination ta said rotor to effect dehydration of solids fed thereto and accumulation of a bed of dehydrated solids withln said rotor, a dislodging tool mounted within said rotor for movement into and ternately, tool to and from solids dislodeing position, said last-named means comprising, a pivoted arm mounted outside of said rotor "and secured to rotoig means for roaway from solids dlslodging position aland means for moving said dislodging' said dislodging tool to control the movement of said tool about the fulcrum of said pivoted arm, and fluid pressure means also secured to said disiodging tool and'adapted to effect movement of said (11510. tool alternately toward the circumferential wallof the otor and away from the circumferential wall 0 the rotor. v 4

3.111 a centrifugal separator, the co'xnbinatiton oompr msp a centrifugal rotor, means for retating said rotor to efiectldehydration of solids fed thereto and accumulation of a bed of dehydrated I tool mounted within said rotor for movement into and away from solids dislodging position alternately, and means for moving said dislodging tool to and from solids dislodging position, said last-named means comprising, a shaft selcured to said dislodging tool, said shaft extending to the exterior of said-rotor, a pivoted arm secured to said shaft, and mounted for, movement with said shaft to control the movement of said shaft about the fulcrum of said pivoted arm, a linksecured to said shaft, a piston rod secured to said link, and a reciprocating fluid pressure motor associated with said piston rod toeflect movement of said shaft alternately toward the circumferential wall of the rotor and away from the circumf rential wall of the rotor.,

wi h BREWER 

